Glucocorticoids that are steroid hormones secreted from the adrenal cortex and which take part in carbohydrate metabolism are responsible for such phenomena as gluconeogenesis in the liver, promotion of hepatic glycogen storage, and increases in blood glucose levels. It has been desired to develop drugs that reduce or obviate that need to administer steroid drugs, which have strong side effects, by enhancing these actions of glucocorticoids.